What is an Anxiety Disorder

Each of the above type of Anxiety Disorder is characterised by specific behaviors, however, the common symptom shared by all is an excessive amount of irrational fear and worry.

The following is a brief review of some of the characteristics of each of the above anxiety disorders. If you suspect that you have an anxiety disorder, please speak with your counsellor. Together, you would discuss the symptoms you are experiencing, and work out a plan on how you will tackle it, and get it under control

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Thoughts of a person with Generalized Anxiety Disorder: “I will not be able to do it”, “Something bad will happen to me”
Generalized Anxiety Disorder is characterized by:

Excessive worry about everything, even when there is little or no reason to

General fear that things will go badly

Inability to relax

Difficulty focusing or concentrating

Have trouble sleeping or falling asleep

Feel tired all the time

Irritable, light-headed

Tremble or twitch

Social Anxiety Disorder

Thoughts of a person with Social Anxiety Disorder: “They may laugh at me”, “They will judge me”
Social Anxiety Disorder is characterized by:

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Having seen or experienced an upsetting or traumatic event, eg, a violent crime, a car accident, a disaster, war, death of a loved one.

Flashbacks, or a “re-experiencing” of the incident, nightmares, angry outbursts, avoidance of places where the incident occurred, trouble sleeping, feeling worried/guilty/sad and on edge.

Some will experience dissociation.

Specific Phobias

Thoughts of a person with Specific Phobias: “I know it’s irrational”.

Specific Phobias are characterized by:

An intense and irrational fear for specific situations which poses little or no danger.

Exposure to feared object or situation leads to severe anxiety or panic attack.

Common fears: heights, animals (dogs, snakes), insects (spiders), situational (driving, flying, body of open water such as a lake or sea), blood (needles, injections, surgeries), clowns.

Avoidance, or extreme nervousness in anticipation of a feared situation.

Starts in childhood, may develop in adulthood.

Anxiety Disorders are treatable with therapy, and/or a combination of therapy and anti-anxiety medication. How anxiety is treated will depend on the severity of the problem, your medical history, and any co-existing medical and psychological conditions.

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